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Indecent photo sharing lands Warren man in jail for child pornography

A Warren man is behind bars after pornographic images of juvenile females were found on his cellphone.

Tyler G. Kraft, 19, 98 Allegheny Drive, was charged by Pennsylvania State Police on Thursday with three counts of felony child pornography.

“This incident is still under investigation with further interviews and charges pending,” police said in a Thursday release.

State police write in the affidavit of probable cause that Kraft on March 4 “had also indicated to his juvenile probation officer there was at least one naked picture of a juvenile female on his cell phone that he knew was under the age of 18.”

Police say that police and probation staff met with the county’s IT department the next day “regarding the extraction of numerous pornographic images extracted from” Kraft’s cell phone. “A review of the extracted pornographic images revealed three specific images in which a partial or full face of the suspected juvenile and was able to be seen and possibly identified.”

The affidavit states two of the photographs appeared to be the same individual.

The following day, police explained, the faces of the juveniles were presented a pediatrician who “stated the images all were of juvenile females approximately 13-14 years of age.”

Also on the sixth, police say they went to Sheffield High School and Warren High School “in an attempt to identify the juvenile females,” according to the affidavit. “While at Warren High School, the two juvenile females were identified with assistance from the Warren High School staff.”

Police, according to the affidavit, proceeded to interview the juveniles, who are now 17 and 18 years old, respectively.

“During the interviews… (the juveniles) confirmed the photographs were of them, both also confirmed they had taken the pictures when they were 14 years old,” the affidavit states. “Both indicated they knew (Kraft) but had never dated him, nor had either had much conversation or contact with him.”

The juveniles could not “provide how (Kraft) had obtained the photographs of them, though both indicated they had forwarded the photographs several years ago when they took them.”

Police then allege that identifying the juveniles and the opinion of the pediatrician “verifies and confirms (Kraft) is in possession of pornographic juvenile photographs on his personal cell phone.”

According to a statement from police, “several electronic devices” belonging to Kraft “are to be digitally examined and further data extracted by the Pa. State Police Computer Crime Lab.”

Kraft was arraigned by District Justice Raymond Zydonik on Thursday morning and placed in the Warren County Jail after he was unable to post $75,000 bail, online court records show.

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